cosmetic safety: the good, the bad, and the ugly!

We put hundreds of products on our bodies each week- but how many of these are good and clean? And how many of them are actually bad for our bodies? Unfortunately, the answer is that too many products are unhealthy, and many would argue that what we put ONTO our bodies is just as important as what we put into our bodies.

Cosmetics are not regulated like food, and therefore can contain any number of chemicals, additives, and generally toxic ingredients. If this is something you are interested in- or know someone who really loves their beauty products- please check out The Story of Cosmetics. It’s a super interesting look at the non-regulations regarding cosmetics, and gives us some scary information about the stuff that’s inside our lotions, shampoos, and washes. You can also find information about the stuff that is in your bathroom here on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database.

some of my favorite natural products; photo from Just Green

And if you are already knowledgeable about this topic and just wondering WHERE you can buy the good stuff, check out this great article from Groovy Green Living which looks into which retailers sell the good stuff! Not surprisingly, Whole Foods is at the top of the list; they have policies in place to keep chemicals out of their products. CVS also has some policies in place to limit the chemicals in baby products- but their shelves are still lined with the conventional brands full of crap. Not surprisingly, Target, Walgreens, Walmart and Macy’s are the worst offenders- they each offer some safer alternatives, but generally their body care products are full of the worst offenders: parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, and colorings and scents derived from petrochemicals. We must give some recognition here to the local health food store here in Hawaii (full disclosure: DTE is one of my employers). Down to Earth has an extensive policy that limits chemicals, synthetic ingredients, and even animal by-products from the supplements that it sells. It is especially helpful as a vegetarian to know that none of the products contain animal products like gelatin and that all the body care is clean and awesome!

Go green, go solar!

Going solar is one of the best ways you can cut your footprint and your bills at the same time. Check out what solar panels cost at your house, or head over to Cost of Solar to get your free report on how much solar could save you… and the planet!

The content produced by this site is for entertainment purposes only. Opinions and comments published on this site may not be sanctioned by, and do not necessarily represent the views of Sustainable Enterprises Media, Inc., its owners, sponsors, affiliates, or subsidiaries.

Green Living Ideas is part of the Important Media network of blogs working to make the world a better, greener place.